Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-12-15
LINCOLN AS A LAWYER.
nIs RopuGnance to OvercharE'ns O'
ies His Colleagues

fies His Colleagues.
Awcc0 the most prominent OF MI.
I;ncoln's traits was his tender-hearted-
meas. which during the war often over
I'd discipline and caused great EN-
hsrrassment to the army officials:
Just;ce was his, strongly tempered
with mercy. Ward H. Lamon, formerly
Mr.. Lincoln's law partner, relates an
incident in Mr.. Lincoln's law practice,
wears before he attained the Presidency.
that well illustrates the inflexible con-
sc;ent;ousness which was the rule OF
Lincoln's whole life:
Although Mr.. Lincoln was my senior
by eighteen years. in one important
particular certainly was. in a marvel
Gus degree, his acknowledged superior.
One of the first things l learned. after
getting fairly under way as lawyer.
was to charge well for legal services
4 branch of the practice that Mr.. Lin
coin never could learn. In fact, the
LAWYERS of the circuit often complained
that his fees were not at all common
s,rate with the service rendered. He
at length left that branch of the busi-
ness wholly to me; and to my tender
, mercy clients were turned over to be
slaughtered according to my popular
and more advanced ideas of the dignity
of our profession. This soon led to
serious and shocking embarrassment
Early in our practice gentleman
named Scott placed in our hands a
case of some Importance. He Lad a
demented sister who possessed prop
terry to the amount of SIC. 1000, mostly
in cash. A CONSERVATION, as he was
called, had been appointed to take
charge of the estate, and we were en-
plOyed to resist a motion to remove the
conservator. A designing adventurer
had become acquainted with the girl.
knowing that she had money, and
sought to marry her-hence the mo-
ton. Scott, the brother and cOnserva-
tor, before we entered upon the case.
insisted that should fix the amount of
the fee. l told him that it would be
$3.50, adding, however, that he had
better wait; it might not give us much
trouble, and in that event lesser
amount would do. He agreed at once
to pay $3.50, as he expected hard con-
test over the motion. The case was
tried inside of twenty minutes; our
success was completes; Scott was sat-
isfied and cileerfully paid over the
money inside the bar. Mr.. Lincoln
looking on. Scott then went out and
Mr.. Lincoln asked: what did you
charge that man?' told him $3.50.
Said he: "Lamon, that is all wrong.
The service was not worth that sum;
give him back ut least half of it,
protested that the lee was settled
in advance; that Scott was perfectly
satisfied and so expressed himself.
THAT may be-" retorted Mr. Lin
coin. with look of distress and of I'M
disguised displeasure; "but am not
satisfied. This is positively wrong.
Go, call him back and return half the
money at least, or l will not receive
one cent of it for my SHARE
l did go, and Scott was astOnished
when handed back half the fee. This
conversation had attracted the attention
of the lawyers and the court. Judge
David Davis, then on our circuit bench,
called Mr.. Lincoln to him. The Judge
never could whisper, but in this in
stance he probably did his best At all
''-- 4so'-i., 49, sEhispes IA
Mr.. Lincoln, he trumPeted his rebuke
in about these words. and in rasping
tones that could be heard all over the
courtroom: ''Lincoln, l have been
watching you and Lamon. You are i'm
poverishing this bar by your picayune
charges of fees and the lawyers have
reason to complain of you. You are
now almost as poor as Lazarus; and il
you don't make people pay you more
for your services you will die as poor
as Jobs turkey"
Judge o. L. Davis. the leading law.
yer in that part of the State. promptly
applauded this malediction from the
bench; but Mr.. Lincoln was immovable.
THAT money!" said Mr.. Lincoln,
"comes out of the pocket of poor, de.
mented girl; and would rather starve
than to swindle her in this manner"
That evening the lawyers got togeth-
er and tried Mr.. Lincoln before a moot
tribunal. called 1.-The OgmathOrial
Court" Hewas found guilty and fined
for his awful crime against the pockets
of his brethren of the bar. The fine he
paid with great good humor, and then
kept the crowd of lawyers in uproar-
ious laughter until after midnight He
persisted in his revolt, however, declar.
ing that with his consent his firm
should never. during his life, or after it,
dissolution, deserve the reputation en-.
joyed by those shining lights of the pro.
fession. "Catchem and Cheatem. ~
y. T0ice.
Overbaianeed By the Shock.
Lets see," said q woman who wa.
inspecting an empty house in the east